The historic Silifke Castle, located in southern Türkiye along the Mediterranean coast, is expected to reopen to visitors in June following the completion of excavation and restoration work, with plans to illuminate the site as part of a nighttime museum experience.
Perched on a hill 185 meters (607 feet) above the town of Silifke – about 80 kilometers (50 miles) west of the provincial capital of Mersin – the castle has served as a continuous settlement from the Roman era through the 20th century. Excavation and restoration efforts, led by Türkiye’s Ministry of Culture and Tourism, began in 2011 and are ongoing.
The work is supported under the ministry’s “Heritage for the Future” project and carried out by a team led by professor Ali Boran of the Art History Department at Ankara Hacı Bayram Veli University.
Researchers are examining remains from multiple historical periods at the site, including Roman traces, as well as Byzantine-era fortifications such as walls and moats. The castle also contains features from the Karamanoğlu period, when it was rebuilt according to Turkish-Islamic architectural models and from the Ottoman era, during which it took its final form.
Closed to visitors in 2015 to allow for archaeological work, the site is now nearing completion of excavation, conservation, restoration and landscaping. Officials say the castle will reopen once those efforts are finalized.
As part of the project, protective fencing will be installed around the site and lighting systems will be added to enable extended visiting hours under a “night museum” concept.
Provincial Director of Culture and Tourism Hakan Doğanay said the work has accelerated under a sponsorship agreement between the governor’s office and a private company.
“If no setbacks or unforeseen circumstances occur, we aim to open the site in June and bring it into tourism for Silifke and the surrounding region,” Doğanay said. “We will illuminate the castle and make it accessible to residents, while also ensuring security.”
Doğanay noted that summer temperatures in the district can reach 42 degrees Celsius (108 degrees Fahrenheit), making evening visits particularly appealing.
“We want visitors to enjoy sea, sand and sun tourism during the day and visit Silifke Castle in the evening,” he said. “All our efforts are focused on that goal. Under the governor’s instructions, we are working intensively to both provide a cooler experience for visitors from Mersin and Silifke and promote nighttime museum tourism.”
